Chemo brain: In the headlines

It is now well-recognized that nearly all chemotherapy survivors will experience short-term memory loss and/or difficulty concentrating. Symptoms can occur both during and after the chemotherapy course. While most people will recover over time, some 15 percent or so will have ongoing cognitive impairment. And only time can reveal who’s in which group.

An April 29, 2007 article in The New York Times entitled “Chemotherapy Fog Is No Longer Ignored as Illusion,” has put chemo brain back in the headlines. But HealthTalk has been reporting on this for quite a while.

Tonight on HealthTalk, we’re having a show called “Delayed Effects of Cancer Treatment: Your Questions, Expert Answers.” Click here for more information. We’re devoting the entire hour to answering your questions about the late effects of chemotherapy, radiation, surgery and more. Survivor specialist Dr. Michael Feuerstein will answer your questions live on the air. Register now to ask your question. And if you’re reading this after-the-fact, you can listen to a replay here or read a transcript in our archive file.

Be careful when reading ads for products alleged to help chemo brain. It is likely that none has been subjected to any form of rigorous testing. There are no dietary supplements that have been proven to help chemo brain. If it sounds too good to be true then it probably is. Remember, dietary supplements do not have to be tested either for safety or effectiveness. And, regardless of what you might think or be told, they do not have to be and are not approved or tested by the FDA.

Count on HealthTalk to keep you up-to-date on important news and information. Make sure you are registered to receive our newsletters so that you’ll be informed of our upcoming shows. You can register for as many of our disease communities as you wish. Check out the rest of our blogs and join the conversation.

If you have experienced chemo brain, consider sharing your story with our other readers – especially if you’ve had success or failure with any products touted to help.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ed Zimney, MD

Ed is a physician with more than 30 years of experience. He’s held positions in drug advertising review, drug safety surveillance, medical information and marketing with several bio/pharmaceutical companies.